


A Different Green

by EeveeFairySparkle



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Bilbo is understanding, Bilbo/ Thorin universe (but not mentioned here), Gen, Protectiveness, Regrets, Time Travel, fanfic of a fanfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-25
Updated: 2015-03-25
Packaged: 2018-03-19 14:01:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3612645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EeveeFairySparkle/pseuds/EeveeFairySparkle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bilbo, Merry, and Pippin have been sent back in time to the beginning of the quest for Erabor, and they're not alone.  But not everyone in the company was sent back, so not everyone knows who Bilbo is and what he can do.</p><p>Merry can be protective when people don't treat his cousin like the hero he is, even if he hasn't done his heroism yet.</p><p>This is an added scene to LikeTotesSecret's wonderful I Don't Regret, and does not make much sense if you have not read that first.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Different Green

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [I Don't Regret](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3156758) by [LikeTotesSecret](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LikeTotesSecret/pseuds/LikeTotesSecret). 



> First of all, many thanks to LikeTotesSecret. Your fanfic is absolutely wonderful, and I couldn't get this scene out of my head. Thank you for letting me write this and for all the help. Credit for the title and the Hobbitish translation go to LikeTotesSecret.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy.
> 
> I do not own Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or any of the characters.

The morning was calm, or as calm as a morning in the company of Thorin Oakenshield could be, which was not very. The camp was buzzing with activity, all getting ready for the day of travelling ahead. Bilbo himself was helping Bombur put together a quick breakfast for the company. Bilbo felt strange disconnect in doing so. While he had used his skills as a cook in helping Bombur the first time he was on this journey, he had not initially been trusted to be competent enough to help early on. It had been some time before his skills, both as a burglar and in other areas, had been acknowledged. It felt strange to be so immediately trusted and respected; strange yet undoubtedly good. Bombur himself had initially been skeptical when Thorin had ordered Bilbo to assist in preparing meals. Bombur had not been one of the dwarves that chose to return to the start of the quest when offered the chance. As such, this journey was all new to him and Bilbo was untested. Still, he made no protest and had come to see that the hobbit was quite skilled with food preparation.

Bilbo looked around the camp and smiled in amusement when he saw his two younger cousins, Merry and Pippin, along with Fíli and Kíli, adding to the general mayhem of the early morning camp, trying to hide supplies and running around. His brave cousins had chosen to go back in time to the start of the quest as well, this despite the fact that they had not even been born for it the first time around. This had undoubtedly made their experience much more difficult and confusing, but they were two of the best hobbits Bilbo had ever known and were handling the whole experience remarkably well. They had hit it off with Thorin’s own mischievous nephews right away, and Bilbo was not sure whether to be glad or dismayed. He had thought that Merry and Pippin, having lived full lives before being sent back, would have been significantly more mature than the two princes, but it seemed the two had lost none of their energy of mischief. On one hand, Bilbo was grateful for their joy, on the other he dreaded the inevitable headache the four would cause.

Bilbo couldn’t help adding a few extra slices of fruit to his cousins’ bowls. While the two were now much closer to him in age, both considering their first lives and simply their physical age in this second life, he could not help but think of them as fauntlings. In part of his mind they were still rambunctious and adventurous children, younger even than his own dear Frodo. That they were some the most brave and noble heroes Middle Earth had produced still left him both astonished and filled with pride.

___________________________________________________________________________

As soon as everyone had received their meal the company began to depart. As Bilbo watched the youngest members he saw Fíli and Kíli mount their ponies in the flashiest way they possibly could, swinging up into the saddle in the most majestic manner possible. Bilbo hadn’t even known it was possible to mount a pony majestically, though Kíli ruined it by giggling the entire time. Pippin looked suitably impressed but did not attempt a similar feat, laughing and waving them off when the two attempted to goad him in to trying. Merry, on the other hand, took the challenge. The attempt, unsurprisingly, ended hilariously poorly. Firefly, Merry’s normally sedate pony, whinnied in alarm and sidestepped him when he attempted to jump up on to her back. His next two attempts met similar fates, until Merry gave up and simply mounted his pony properly. Pippin himself nearly fell off his on pony laughing.  
Bilbo, along with Merry and Pippin, found himself riding next to Bofur, another of his dear friends who had not elected to return, and Bilbo could not blame him. Bilbo had been close friends with Bofur before and he was determined to reforge a friendship with him now.

“So tell me Master Baggins, how much burglary have you actually committed? Pardon my saying so, but you seem much too… well, gentle. Not that that’s a bad thing, by any means!”

“Well actually,” Bilbo started, but then immediately cut himself off. He couldn’t very well tell Bofur of his last, and only, real burglary job, which had not even truly happened yet. “I… I, well I just,” he struggled for a moment then sighed. “Well none, I suppose,” he finally said. Bofur smiled at him with sympathy, clearly mistaking his floundering for embarrassment. Bilbo smiled back, relieved that he had not revealed anything unusual.

Glóin, who was riding within earshot and also had not returned, chose that moment to jump in. “Well then Master Baggins, I can’t see why you call yourself a burglar if you don’t do any burgling?” Glóin meant no offense, and though the question was not worded the best, Bilbo took no offense. He had traveled with these dwarves for quite some time, and he knew that Glóin did not mean to question his abilities or insult him at all, so he simply smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

Merry, on the other hand, seemed to be upset by the turn in conversation, and moved his pony in between Bilbo and Glóin. Pippin seemed a bit uncomfortable as well, but not so much as Merry, who’s upset and protectiveness showed clearly on his face.

“No offense meant, young master, no offense meant,” Glóin hastened to assure the young hobbit. “My apologies Master Baggins.”

“Not at all, not at all. It’s quite alright,” Bilbo said, smiling at Glóin. He put a calming hand on Merry’s arm, whispering “ _Frendaen corben cre, Kalimac._ ” Glóin and Bofur rode on a bit, leaving Bilbo and his cousins a bit of privacy.

"He has a point you know. For a burglar, I've done very little in the way of burgling, especially from his perspective."

"It's still not right. You're a burglar if you say you are. And you're a fine burglar, whether or not you've actually stolen anything." Merry still looked quite offended on Bilbo's behalf.

Bilbo considered this for a moment. "That is true." Merry looked pleased, before Bilbo continued, "But think of it this way, you are a fine Horse Lord, you truly are. This is despite the fact that you fell off trying to mount your pony three times this morning. None of us are particularly impressive at first glance, our value lies under the surface." 

At this Merry began to blush furiously, while Pippin, who had been quietly (for once) listening nearby, burst out laughing.

**Author's Note:**

> Translation:  
> Frendaen corben cre, Kalimac - You be calm, Merriadoc (Calm, Merriadoc)
> 
> Again, great thanks to LikeTotesSecret and all of you readers. I enjoyed writing this a lot.


End file.
